Algorithm

✔ An algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well

defined instructions for calculating a function, starting from an initial
state and initial input.
✔ The instructions describe a computation, which will eventually produce
output, when executed.
✔ Algorithm can be used to solve any kind of problems.
✔ However, before writing a program, we need to write the steps to solve
the problem in simple English language. This step-by-step procedure to
solve the problem is called algorithm

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Algorithm

✔ The way of execution of program is categorized as

✔ Sequence Statements
✔ Selection Statements
✔ Iteration or Looping Statements (Called Control Structure)

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Algorithm

✔ Sequence Statements:
✔ In this program, all the instructions are executed one after another
✔ Example: Algorithm to print “Welcome to SMEC, VIT Chennai”
Step-1: Start
Step-2: Print “Welcome to SMEC, VIT Chennai
Step-3: Stop

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Algorithm

✔ Sequence Statements:
✔ In this program, all the instructions are executed one after another
✔ Example: Algorithm to find area of a rectangle”
Step-1: Start
Step-2: Take length and breadth and store them
as L and B
Step-3: Multiply by L and B and store it in Area
Step-4: Print Area
Step-5: Stop

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Algorithm

✔ Selection Statements ✔ Example: Algorithm to check

✔ In this program, some portion whether a candidate is eligible to
of the program is executed vote?
based upon the conditional Step-1: Start
test. Step-2: Take age and store it in Age
✔ If the conditional test is true, Step-3: Check Age value, if age > 18,
compiler will execute some then go to step-4 else Step-5
part of the program, otherwise Step-4: Print “Eligible to Vote” and go
to Step-6
it will execute the other part of
Step-5: Print “Not Eligible to Vote”
the program.
Step-5: Stop

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Algorithm

✔ Selection Statements Step-1: Start

✔ Example: Algorithm to check Step-2: Take any number and store it in ‘n’
whether the given number is Step-3: Check ‘n’ value, if n > 0,
+ve, -ve or zero then go to step-5 else Step-4
Step-4: Check ‘n’ value, if n < 0,
then go to step-6 else Step-7
Step-5: Print “Given number is +ve” and
go to Step-8
Step-6: Print “Given number is -ve” and go
to Step-8
Step-7: Print “Given number is Zero”
Step-8: Stop

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Algorithm

✔ Iterative Statements ✔ Example: Algorithm to print all

✔ In some programs, certain set natural numbers up to ‘n’
of statements are executed Step-1: Start
again and again based upon Step-2: Take any number and store it in ‘n’
conditional test. i.e. executed Step-3: Store 1 in J
more than one time. Step-4: Check ‘J’ value, if J <= n,
then go to step-5 else Step-8
Step-5: Print J
Step-6: Increment J value by 1
Step-7: Go to Step-4
Step-8: Stop

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Flowchart

✔ Flowchart is a pictorial representation of step by step solution of a

problem
✔ There are various flowchart symbols that carry different messages and
are used for different purposes

Start / Stop Input / Output Processing

or End
parallelogram

Connector
Decision Box
Diamond

Flow of Control
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Flowchart
✔ Examples:
Simple Interest Calculation Bigger Number among Two
Numbers

P-principal
R-interest rate
T- time duration

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Flowchart
✔ Examples:
Total Sales Calculation

START A

READ TOTAL SALE =

UNIT PRICE UNITPRICE * QUANTITY

READ PRINT
QUANTITY TOTALSALE

A STOP

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Flowchart
✔ Examples:
Average of Three Numbers

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Flowchart
✔ Examples:
Factorial of N

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Pseudo Code

✔ One of the popular representation of algorithm

✔ It is a kind of structured English for describing algorithms
✔ It allows the designer to focus on the logic of the algorithm without
being distracted by details of language syntax
✔ Pseudocode needs to be complete
✔ It describe the entire logic of the algorithm so that
implementation becomes a rote mechanical task of translating line by
line into source code
✔ Each instruction is written on a separate line

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Pseudo Code

✔ Keywords and indentation are used to signify particular control

structures
✔ Each set of instructions is written from top to bottom, with only one
entry and one exit
✔ Groups of statements may be formed into modules, and that group given
a name

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Pseudo Code

Keywords
✔ Several keywords are often used to indicate common input, output, and
processing operations
✔ Input: READ, OBTAIN, GET
✔ Output: PRINT, DISPLAY, SHOW
✔ Compute: COMPUTE, CALCULATE, DETERMINE
✔ Initialize: SET, INIT
✔ Add one: INCREMENT, BUMP

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Pseudo Code

Example Sequential
✔ Area of Rectangle Calculation

•READ height of rectangle

•READ width of rectangle
•COMPUTE area as height times width
•PRINT area of rectangle

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Pseudo Code

IF THEN ELSE ENDIF

✔ Format
Example:
IF Condition THEN IF Hours_Worked > Normal_Max THEN
Statements Display overtime message
ELSE ELSE
Statement Display regular time message
ENDIF ENDIF

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Pseudo Code

WHILE
✔ Format
Example:
WHILE Condition WHILE Population < Limit
Statements Compute Population as Population +
ENDWHILE Births ‐ Deaths
ENDWHILE

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Pseudo Code

FOR
✔ Format
Example:
FOR Iteration Bounds FOR each student in the list
Statements Print Register_Number
ENDFOR ENDFOR

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Rules for Variable Names

✔ Names can’t start with a number

✔ There can be no spaces in the name, use underscore _ instead.
✔ Cant use any of these symbols
✔ : <>/?@#$%^&*~-+
✔ Names are lowercase
✔ Avoid using word that have special meaning in python like “list” and
“str”.

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Exercises

Write the PAC, Algorithm, Pseudo code and draw the Flowchart for the
following cases
✔ Find the area of a circle
✔ Find the area of triangles where three sides are given
✔ Find the area and perimeter of a square
✔ Calculate the average for 3 numbers
✔ Find the greatest of three numbers
✔ Interchange the value of two numbers
✔ Calculate the simple interest
✔ Convert m3 to litre
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Exercises

Write the PAC, Algorithm, Pseudo code and draw the Flowchart for the
following cases
✔ Find the sum of ‘n’ natural numbers
✔ Find the sum of all even numbers up to ‘n’
✔ Find out whether the given number is even or odd
✔ Find the sum of multiples of 8 up to the given number
✔ Print the numbers from 1 to ‘n’ in reverse order
✔ Find the average marks of 5 subjects of a student
✔ Convert the numeric grade to letter grade

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